This country can be a model for us in adapting technology

• - Conducting research needs business support from the very beginning, said WNP Jussi Manninen, vice president of zero-emission technologies at VTT - Technical Research Centre of Finland.
• "When it comes to using SMRs for heating, Poland, as well as other Central European countries, is a very attractive market. You still use fossil fuels to heat cities, and SMR technology is emission-free," our source noted.
• "I would like to emphasize that although we represent a Finnish organization, we operate in global markets: in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. We can offer Polish companies support not only in matters related to nuclear energy, but we also work in areas such as transport electrification, plastic recycling, and building a circular economy," noted the representative of the Finnish institute.

First of all, could you please introduce yourself and your organization?

I've been working for VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) since 1999. I've been active in several sectors, including energy, chemicals, and biotechnology. I also worked for the Finnish government for two years, from 2014 to 2016. For the past nine years, I've held a management position within the business area. As part of my responsibilities, I supervise around 600 people.

I focus on energy-related issues in areas where this sector plays an important role, such as transport, construction, the energy system and, of course, nuclear energy.

Poland's problem is high energy prices, which makes it difficult for our companies to compete in foreign markets. Finland, on the other hand, has a relatively balanced energy system. You're also developing interesting technologies, such as SMRs for district heating. What accounts for Finland's success in this area?

I think that Poland, as well as other Central European countries, is a very attractive market for the use of SMRs for heating. You still use fossil fuels to heat cities, and SMR technology is emission-free.

Finland has a well-balanced energy mix

In terms of our competitiveness, Finland has a well-balanced energy mix. We utilize wind and nuclear energy, we also have industrial plants that generate electricity, and several local combined heat and power plants that produce electricity.

Our average electricity price has been low for a long time. This is due to the fact that it is generated by nuclear power plants, and the costs associated with their construction have already been incurred. Furthermore, we have a large amount of wind, from which the cost of generating electricity is very low.

What does technology transfer look like? How do you build a business truly focused on the concept of new technologies? How does this transfer take place, and what is the state's role in this process?

I see several possibilities for technology transfer. One of them, which is probably the most popular and has been appearing in the media most recently, is transfer through new companies – start-ups that introduce something new to the market.

Our organization has launched several spin-offs in recent years. This means that by conducting research, we generate intellectual property. It's needed as a foundation.

So this is a kind of transformation of scientists into entrepreneurs?

"That's what it's all about, except they're not always scientists. Sometimes we do have examples where our scientists have become CEOs and achieved considerable success. In many cases, however, scientists can serve as chief technology officers in these ventures."

Scientists don't always find their place in entrepreneurial roles

Then, an external person is hired to run the company's operations. Our organization facilitates the transition of scientists who initially move beyond a strictly research-based approach and later become more business-oriented. Our business incubator serves this purpose. The research team, along with their intellectual property, remains in the incubator until they are able to secure funding.

This attracts private capital. The next stage is the capitalization of the business, in which VTT takes a small part. Our role is to oversee its intellectual property, and in return we receive shares. So, we operate in a very capitalistic manner.

I know that in some countries, like France, the state is the initial investor and handles supervision. Then it tries to attract other investors. It's different here.

Perhaps this also applies to the different economic structure—in France, there are large state-owned companies. I assume that in Finland, business development takes a different form?

- In Finland, the private sector takes the lead and we acquire a minority stake in the company, usually along with intellectual property rights.

Larger companies seem to be very reluctant or have great difficulty implementing radical change. They are inherently very conservative. Therefore, if you want to transform, you usually start with startups, which then grow into large enterprises.

Next comes the way knowledge is conveyed to people. And the educational process, which is paramount. I remember my conversation with the director of the Łukasiewicz Institute . We focused on the fact that in Poland there is a certain shortage of students willing to study at faculties relevant to industry, such as physics, mathematics, and engineering.

In Finland, in turn, there is a system in which you train specialists in specific fields?

Yes, in our organization, we place a strong emphasis on research and development and delivering technologically advanced products. We teach how to operate in the R&D field. It's a bit like going from minor league to major league in soccer. This is one way.

If we own intellectual property, we can also license it to existing companies. One of the things we also do that helps companies commercialize new solutions is provide a service function. We have invested in open pilot facilities and are currently developing them.

These include microelectronics, smart printing, biotechnology, new materials, and more. Companies can bring their own product or process to the table if they want to develop it. Essentially, if you wanted to produce a new material, instead of doing it in a lab—where it would take four weeks to produce a small amount—here, you could produce 1,000 kilograms in a week.

VTT has the appropriate research infrastructure to help companies conduct research

That's why we've invested in this type of infrastructure, which helps companies and lowers the threshold they have to overcome to try something new. At this stage, they don't need to invest in infrastructure or expertise. Our employees handle this professionally on an ongoing basis. We're also open to transferring intellectual property rights .

If it's a company product, then after paying for the research, you own all the results. So, this is another way an organization like ours can help companies develop and commercialize new products or processes.

Can companies that fail to commercialize return to the incubator state?

Yes. Sometimes that happens. When a company scales up to larger scale production, it usually encounters difficulties. In that case, it might return to the lab or scale down to a smaller scale to find solutions to those problems.

We are therefore open to various stages of company development. This is part of the services we want to provide to companies.

Do you also cooperate with Polish research units?

Yes, at this stage we are collaborating with the Polish National Centre for Nuclear Research. We are helping the Polish nuclear sector implement both the technology and the appropriate legal framework.

While we're in the early stages of development, we rely heavily on European funding from the Horizon program. This means we have institutes in various countries.

Then a multi-year project is carried out to solve or find answers to questions that are not yet commercially relevant.

I'd like to emphasize that although we represent a Finnish organization, we operate globally: in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. We can offer Polish companies support not only in nuclear energy-related matters, but also in areas such as transport electrification, plastic recycling, and building a circular economy.